GameCenter final: Minnesota Duluth 5, UND 1 – Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS — Minnesota Duluth took a lead simply 2 minutes, 14 seconds into the NCHC semifinal sport and was by no means threatened, beating UND 5-1 to advance to subsequent weekend’s championship sport. Adam Gajan was sensible in stopping 33 of 34, whereas Callum Arnott and Luke Bibby every had two-level nights.

First star: Adam Gajan, Duluth, 33 saves.
Second star: Callum Arnott, Duluth, 1 aim, 2 factors.
Third star: Luke Bibby, Duluth, 2 assists

Minnesota Duluth 1, UND 0 — Callum Arnott 12 (Joey Pierce) 2:14. Pierce comes within the zone on a one-on-one rush with Jake Livanavage. He tries to shoot the puck, however Livanavage will get a bit of it. The puck trickles behind Livanavage and Pierce picks it again up and places a shot on internet. UND goalie Jan Špunar makes the preliminary save, however kicks the rebound out to Arnott, who finishes it for his twelfth aim of the season.

Minnesota Duluth 2, UND 0 — Max Plante 23 (Ty Hanson) 7:16. Just after a UND energy play expires, UND defenseman Keaton Verhoeff will get right into a battle alongside the halfwall. Minnesota Duluth wins the battle and sends Plante on a two-on-two rush. He toe drags round Livanavage, who tries to disclaim a cross, then snipes it.

Minnesota Duluth 3, UND 0 — Jayson Shaugabay 11 (Callum Arnott, Luke Bibby) 1:26. Verhoeff jumps into the play on the offensive finish, however he goes the opposite approach on an odd-man rush. Bibby feeds Arnott slicing down the slot. Špunar makes the preliminary save, however Shaugabay follows it up and buries the rebound.

Minnesota Duluth 3, UND 1 — Dylan James 19 (Cole Reschny, EJ Emery) 1:59. James will get the puck excessive within the zone, walks it to the center to create a capturing lane, then snaps it by means of a Cody Croal display screen for his nineteenth aim of the season. UND lastly breaks by means of on Minnesota Duluth goaltender Adam Gajan on his twenty seventh shot of the evening.

Minnesota Duluth 4, UND 1 — Harper Bentz 5 (Adam Kleber, Zam Plante) 8:09. Verhoeff’s breakout cross will get intercepted within the impartial zone and Minnesota Duluth goes the opposite approach on a rush. The Bulldogs do not rating initially, however they get the puck to Kleber on the level and his shot is redirected by Bentz in entrance.

Minnesota Duluth 5, UND 1 — Kyle Gaffney 4 (Luke Bibby, Riley Bodnarchuk) 12:49. Gaffney has the puck close to the top line and launches a shot from an excessive angle that beats Špunar on the brief facet to ice the sport.

Forwards
9 Will Zellers—29 Ellis Rickwood—21 Ben Strinden
7 Mac Swanson—17 Cole Reschny—24 Josh Zakreski
26 Dylan James—8 Ollie Josephson—19 Cody Croal
27 Anthony Menghini—20 Cade Littler—14 Tyler Young

Defensemen
4 Jake Livanavage—6 EJ Emery
25 Abram Wiebe—18 Keaton Verhoeff
16 Andrew Strathmann—2 Bennett Zmolek
13 Sam Laurila

Goaltenders
35 Jan Spunar
31 Gibson Homer
1 Zach Sandy

Not in lineup: F Jack Kernan (sickness), F David Klee, F Dalton Andrew, D Jayden Jubenvill, D Ian Engel

Forwards
10 Max Plante—27 Zam Plante—19 Harper Bentz
24 Scout Truman—23 Kyle Gaffney—11 Hunter Anderson
28 Luke Bibby—25 Callum Arnott—17 Jayson Shaugabay
13 Daniel Shlaine—38 Kyler Kovich—39 Trevor Stachowiak

Defensemen
2 Ty Hanson—6 Adam Kleber
8 Aaron Pionk—18 Joey Pierce
5 Brady Cleveland—37 Grayden Siepmann
20 Riley Bodnarchuk

Goaltenders
30 Adam Gajan
35 Ethan Dahlmeir
36 Cole Sheffield

Not in lineup: F Blake Bechen, F Braden Fischer, F Ryan Zaremba, D Jake Toll

Referees —Brian Hankes and Stephen Reneau
Linesmen —Kyle Stephens and Tyler Landman
Supervisors —Mike Schmitt and Thor Nelson

For the primary time since Jan. 31, Minnesota Duluth is breaking apart the large high line of Max Plante, Zam Plante and Jayson Shaugabay. The final time the Bulldogs did that, it was solely final a few interval earlier than coach Scott Sandelin put them again collectively. They’re maintaining the Plante brothers collectively and placing them with Moorhead’s Harper Bentz. Shaugabay is taking part in with Luke Bibby and Callum Arnott. They’ll presumably be on the identical energy-play unit, although. . . UND can be flipping its traces, presumably to place Dylan James, Ollie Josephson and Cody Croal towards the Plante line. . . UND has misplaced within the NCHC semifinals in 4 consecutive seasons. . . The groups cut up 4 video games this season. The Bulldogs received a pair of extra time video games. UND received a pair of regulation video games.

Schlossman has coated school hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been acknowledged by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the highest beat author for the Herald’s circulation division 4 instances and the North Dakota sportswriter of the yr twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.